Quilts, Tacos & Tattoos

Time Off

Mom said I could take some time off from the store. As soon as she was out the door the next morning, I grabbed the phone on the bedside table and dialed Jimmy Sue. "You have got to come over, now! I have so much to tell you."

"I can't. Today is the day I take my senior pictures for the yearbook. Mom is making me go to the salon to have my hair all fixed up, and then we are heading over there with about eight costume changes. She wants to make sure that we take some outside. I am going to be gone all day. What's up?" I couldn't wait for Jimmie Sue to stop talking.

"I guess I will just have to tell you it all really fast. I broke my ankle yesterday and Tyler came over. We drove to the top of Granite Mountain and watched fireworks over the lake while holding hands."

"Very funny! I'll come over when I am done, and then you can tell me the real story." She laughed and hung up.

I put the phone down and rolled onto my side. Did it all really happen? As I pushed my body up using my hands I felt a pain go down my leg. Yep. It all happened.

When I opened my bedroom door, I saw the silhouette of Aunt Julia sitting on the front porch. I went to the bathroom, then hobbled to the front door and pushed it open with my crutches.

"Good morning, Sweetie. Your Uncle Red and I are going to stick around for awhile and help take care of you."

"I'm fine. I don't need any help. I can move around with my crutches."

"Your grandparents can't really take care of you, and your mom is working all day. You really need to be resting, so we have decided to stay. Now you need to get on inside to the sofa, and let me prop that ankle up for you."

I went in to the sofa and sat down. In no time, my Aunt had my ankle propped up on a big red pillow and gave me a big glass of water. The way she handled my ankle was so different from Mom. She took the time to make sure I was comfortable.

"When was the last time you took a pain pill?"

"I think in the middle of the night. Mom came in with it."

"All right, then you are due for another one."

"I think I am fine."

"The last thing you need is to miss a pill. You do not want to get behind. Once you are in pain, it is harder to make it go away. Listen to what the doctor tells you. Broken bones hurt."

"But I thought you were all into being natural."

"I am, but bone pain is very different. It is an ache like I have never felt before. Now what do you want for breakfast?"

"I usually don't eat breakfast."

"Great, then we will start out with fresh carrot juice." Walking into the kitchen, she began opening cabinets. "How were the fireworks up on Granite Mountain? Was he the boy?" I sank down into the sofa. "Don't be shy about it. I could tell he liked you. I invited him to come and check on you."

"You did?"

"He's cute."

I perked up a little bit. "I know. Isn't he?"

She poured flour and milk into a bowl and cracked an egg into it. "My trick with pancakes is to sprinkle them with granola before I flip them. It makes them nice and crunchy and sweet. I use honey because it is healthier than syrup. This is my favorite feel good breakfast. I make it when I am sad or when I am sick."

"Are you ever sad? You seem so together. I can't imagine you ever upset or ill."

"Oh, I may seem pretty together, but it takes work. I wake up before dawn and spend time alone in meditation. I try not to be disappointed if my plans do not work out as I planned."

"Not me. I seem to be running all the time - from home to school, from class to class, from school to the shop, from the shop to home and then dinner and homework. I barely have any time to see friends before curfew. Do you know I have an earlier curfew than most of my classmates - 9:00 PM? I mean, most of my friends are just getting ready to hang out at nine."

"Your mother is very protective of you. I can understand that. What does she say about your boyfriend?"

"First, I don't have a boyfriend. He is just a boy from school that I totally do not get and sends me mixed messages all the time. He is always teasing me. Then he showed up last night and was the sweetest thing ever. I still don't believe it happened."

"Well, it happened. The whole family saw him. Candy wanted to come up and intervene last night, but we settled her down."

"Thank you."

"Do you know how embarrassing it could have been for you?"

"Yes. I do. When we came home from watching the fireworks, she told him he needed to be going. It was awful."

"Oh, she didn't! I'm sorry. I'm not sure your mother gets it."

"Is that why you are sticking around...to talk to Mom? Oh please, can you help me?"

"We are here to see how we can help you. We cannot change your mother's mind, opinions, values, or goals."

"Well, thank you for staying. I think it will help a lot."

The next two weeks went by rather quickly. I was able to have my walking boot early, but needed my crutches for a few more days while I got used to the boot. The doctor told me to wait a few more days before I tried to start walking on it. The good news about the walking boot was that I could take it off to shower and to soak my foot occasionally.

After a long shower, I was sitting on my bed brushing my hair. I faintly heard a knock on the screen door. Aunt Julia had come down to check on me. "How are you doing, Sweetie," she said as she sat down on the bed and adjusted my pillows. "Have you heard from the boy?"

"No, still no word. I don't understand."

"Don't try to. You will drive yourself crazy. Just be okay in who you are, and if he is right for you, he will come back."

"But I want him to come back now!"

"And you have to be okay if he does not, and enjoy the moment that you shared for the moment that it was."

"But how do you do that when you are my age? All I do is think about him all the time. I play out every conversation that we have ever had over and over in my mind." I lay back on my bed beside her.

"I know. I was sixteen once, too."

"Hey, I'm seventeen."

"What was your favorite part of turning seventeen?"

"I had really hoped Mom would let me get my ears pierced early."

Aunt Julia sat up straight on the bed, "Ugh. She is crazy sometimes. Why do you have to wait?"

"She said I have to wait till I'm eighteen. I wish she were more like you. Why are you so different?"

"We lead different lives, and we have pursued different things."

"But you're sisters, and you seem as opposite as you can get."

"Yes, but we are six years apart. A lot changes in parenting over six years. Her parents and my parents were very different, even though they were the same people. I think that is what is so hard about her not having two kids. She did not have the experience of seeing how two different children react differently to the same thing, to see how life changes over time and how parenting changes. I believe parenting is a partnership you have with your child, and your goal is to get your child ready for you to step aside and let the child fly away. The parent hopes the child will return okay, regardless of how or when he, or she, returns." I had stopped listening and was trying to figure out how to ask Aunt Julia for help.

"Please talk to her before you go!" I begged.

"I can only promise to have a talk with her. It is still her decision as your mom."

"Thank you Aunt Julia," I squealed as I hugged her neck. "Let's go right now."

"No," she said. "Let's wait for the right moment."